The duck that Anderson killed was fitted with a plastic band that is known as a "spotter's band."

Joseph Anderson and his hunting party killed more than a dozen ducks during a recent trip to Camden Bottoms on Kentucky Lake.

Most of them were nothing new.

But one will forever stand out in Anderson's mind.

That morning, while hunting from a public blind, Anderson killed a unique-looking Asian species known as a mandarin duck.

Mandarins are one of the most striking duck species on earth -- and Anderson said he recognized the bird as soon as it hit the water.

"It came in with some of the same wood ducks we hunt all the time," said Anderson, a Pegram, Tenn., resident, who joined the pro staff for Mossy Oak Camouflage earlier this year. "I thought it was a wood duck until I saw it on the water and noticed that red beak.

"Then I knew exactly what it was because I've seen them a lot on TV."

The beak is certainly one of the bird's most recognizable features, but bright red is just one of its many eye-catching colors.

Drake mandarins have an iridescent crown extending to a long crest and chestnut-colored cheeks. Their breasts are maroon with black and white vertical stripes, and their underbellies are white with gold and black flanks.

Their back and tail feathers are an olive brown color, and their scapular region is iridescent blue. They also have orange and gold feathers on their main body just above their bright yellow feet.

"It's one of the most awesome looking ducks I've ever seen," Anderson said. "It'll make a great mount. It's the kind of thing I'll hang on to for the rest of my life."

Mandarin ducks are native to China, where only about 20,000 are believed to exist. Their worldwide population is unknown.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the only breeding population of mandarin ducks in the United States is located in Sonoma County, Calif. Those birds were illegally introduced into the wild.

Because mandarin ducks have such great ornamental value, they are often brought into North America for zoos and other private collections. Birds like the one Anderson killed on Kentucky Lake are usually regarded as "escapees from captivity."

Anderson's bird was fitted with a band. But unlike the metal bands that hunters often find on more common duck species, this one did not include a number to call for more information about the bird.

"It had what's called a spotter's band," Anderson said. "It was just a red piece of plastic rolled up on its leg to help people see it better through a pair of binoculars.

"Killing a mandarin duck with a band, that was just a double whammy for me."

Joseph was hunting with his father, Joey Anderson, family members Jake Anderson, Pat Anderson and Derek Anderson and family friends Casey Plumbley and Matt Mangrum.

Because mandarin ducks are a non-native exotic species, there are no laws governing their harvest.

To reach reporter Bryan Brasher, call 529-2343. Bryan's blog can be found at thememphisedge.com.